The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-08
POLITICAL.
Ten Thousand Opponents of
Whisky Assemble.
BRILLIANT SPEECHES AND MUSIC

held IN Atlanta.
The crowd was variously estimated to con-
tam from seven to ten thousand people. A
large number of ladies were present, and they
eVlnced as much earneStneSs as the men. The
warehouse was brilliantly lighted and comfort
ably warmed. Everybody, whether prohibi-
zionist or anti-prohibitionist, enjoyed the meet
ing, and was entertained and instructed. No
body who was there will ever forget the meet
ing.
Judge Hillyer asked all in the audience who
had white handherchiefs to display them, and
for n few moments the Tutoring of white
handkerchiefs created almost q cyclone. He
then introduced, as the first speaker Senator
a. IL. Colquitt. AS Senator Colquitt came to
the front he was greeted with the Chautauqua
salute in Atlantas regal style.
Advancing to the front and looking the au-
dience square in the face, Senator Colquitt
said:
Fellow Citizens: The grand and solemn
opening of these services, the song and
supplication. the praise and prayer, is fitting
introduction to the subject to be discussed, the
salvation of society and of home-a cause that
calls down on it the blessings of God. Zap
plause.
"Did you ever hear of liquor dealers con-
vention, or of meeting of liquor Dealers open
their services with prayer, and have o precen-
tor rise and raise the grand old song, "Praise
God from Whom All Blessings FlowP" fCries
of no! no! A voice in tho crowd shouted:
you never will" [Laughter.l
What sort OF prayer would liquor dealer
offer? 1t would be something like this: ooh,
Lord God Almighty, who rules the
appetites and CONTROLS the passions
of men. Oh, Lord, give these
boys of our land oh Lord, give these husbands
of our land oh Lord, give these fathers of our
land; oh Lord, give them an unquenchabe
thirst for liquor that L may supply their
needs" Laughter and applause.].
"Can such prayer be made in this city Of
the redeemed?
4
tonight, who thinks prohibition is wrong, ere
he retires to rest tonight let him face his God
on this matter.I come to speak to you as citi-
zen of Georgia, as patriot, and trust as o
Christian conscious of his responsibility to God
L have never heard of q man going out from
Atlanta that did not sound her praise. Her
citizens love it and magnify it.
II am not an Indifferent reader of history,
and the declaration l am about to make is not
an idle one. 1t is my solemn conviction that
there has not been a place on the civilized
earth since the Redeemer walked into Jerusa-
lem where the people are more moral, religious
or true to convictions of right than in the city
of Atlanta. [Applause.]
You remember that in the campaign of 1885 it
was predicted that If prohibition prevailed the
houses would be empty, the owls and bats fly
ing out of the windows and men and women
walking about the streets moping and detected
because of mistaken vote.
1.-The liquor influence has been eXerted
seekers, and silenced the preachers in many
places.
at has taken by the throat all the cities At
lanta is the only exception. APPLAUSE
When it came to Atlanta it struck Gibraltar.
ATLANTA stands the chief and most brilliant
star in the Christian reformation and the puri-
ncatlon OF society. What do you propose
doing? [Voces-keep her there
You are right,my friend. have endeavor
ed to analyze the opposition to prohibition.
There solution. in
the sefshness of human nature. If I am ca
pable of hating any man, it is the mean, sell
fish man who says, i will take care of myself
you take care of yourself.l
''See the conceiteQ self-impOrtant man. in
double-breasted cloth coat, who meets you with
q supercilious patroniZing air-he's a gentle
man, he iS--and tells you he will not follow
after Short-haired women and Sunday school
teachers. He's man, he is. Talk to him of
ruined shearthstones and debauched young
men and he will tell you that it is none of his
business.
"God save Atlanta from such selfish men as
these. Applause,
"Give me a man that feels for the woes the
sorrows and griefs of his fellow man. [Ap-
plause.] Give me man whose grasp of the
hand conveys the warmth of his soul to yours
as he says God speed you my brother
[Applause.1 Don't give me man whose
shrivelled soul cries: L will take care of my
family; you take care of your own Zap
plauSe
another objection is urged, and that is pro-
hibition does not prohibit. You have heard
that before. I'll make this proposition: Poor
as | am, | am willing to stake all but my wife
and children on the proposition. Ifyou find
saloon keeper that favors prohibition I'll give
up the cause. II prohibition did not prohibit,
wouldn't there be found at least one liquor
seller who favored prohibition They sell
liquor to make money.
IF they sold moro under prohibition
wouldn't they favor it?
Georgia is the empire state OF the south.
What a mockery is the title if she has to lay
her sceptre at the feet of the liquor dealer and
say, we are powerless.' You know
1t, every man, prohibition or anti,
knows that prohibition does prohibit
If boys draw differences they are likely TO
come to the conclusion that the great vices are
violations Of the law, such as burglary, arson,
larceny, etc., and should be suppressed. But
when the most accused vice of the age is as
sailed you must be careful to say nothing
against it.
Never since the government has been es-
tablished was there such large gathering Of
humanity assembled than in Atlanta during
your exposition, and as few drunken men seen.
1Applause.l L have been in smaller assemblies
when there were ten times as many drunken
men. Applause.
~ am not familiar with all tho arguments
used in this campaign. While we were en-
camped III the woods near Charlottesville
and were uncertain rs to the position of the
enemy we sheled the woods
"That is what L am doing tonight. APP
plause1 But there is financial objection, is
there not, Judge Hillyer?"
Judge Hillyer-They have given that up.
The finance is all right
Resuning Senator Colquitt said:
"But if there were / would not discuss them
before Christian audience. If / were
missionary to the Sioux, the Kickapoos or
other tribes, might consider and discuss it
before them, but will not put you ON the
plane of the savage
"a man is prohibited from building wood
en- structure in the fire limits. lie may
claim tho inaienable right TO build
wooden house, but will be told
that he has no right to erect o building that
will endanger the property Of others. Bar
tholdi in endeavoring to get a proper repre-
sentation Of liberty, took as model, a woman.
There she stands, intended to catch the spirit
of divinity, the ethereal fire of heaven, a torch
in her hand, while her lambient grateful eyes
look up to the stars as if they were to be lit
above the corruption Of earth. But how would
you represent the liquor dealers idea Of
liberty?
"Knock off the statue and substitute in
place of tho woman a red-eyed, bloated face,
slobbering, staggering drunkard. Criticisms
have been made upon the women engaged in
the prohibition cause, that they are oyerstep-
ping the bounds Of delicacy. Whatever men
may think, there is chiyalry, courage and love
"a -. III.